poem pillow

I wanted to make a black and white pillow for a while. Something with a bit of vintage and text. I didn't fully form the idea beforehand. Instead, I just worked on it and let my instincts guide me as I went. I had some organic cotton jersey for the main fabric and a piece of lace I wanted to use which I wound up putting on one side of the envelope back. The front has a cotton doily handed down from my Mom that belonged to her Mother or Grandmother.

I was quite influenced by the romantic poets back in my college days. I had one very 'colorful' poetry teacher (he was a real gentleman)who I will never forget- an absolute perfect teacher for the course. At the time I was in my black and white period wearing knee - length slips with cardigans and tights to class and kohl rimmed eyes. I was 21 and invincible. Anyway, my fondness of Keats came back after seeing Bright Star in the theater so I decided to use some text from one of his poems (On the Grasshopper and Cricket) which I incorporated into the piece.


The poetry of earth is never dead:
When all the birds are faint with the hot sun,
And hide in cooling trees, a voice will run
from hedge to hedge about the new mown-mead;

The rest is here.

On the back I dedicated the pillow to my Great Grandmother - Mary Donaldson.

I really like this idea of a dedication pillow and toying with different ideas incorporating these elements as well as photographs.

My Mom often brings me linens: embroidered, appliqued that were made by her Grandmother and they are really special to me. For Christmas I received two embroidered tea cozies and a stack of vintage hankies. I wanted to give something back somehow and this was what resulted.